"W-what?" Selene gasped, her heart thudding in her chest. "Who is Kaeledor? Who are you?"
Confusion overtook her, but her instincts screamed that she needed to intervene.
"Let him go!" she shouted, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and urgency. "Please—let him go!"
Slowly, his grip loosened, though Kael remained slumped against the wall, gasping for air.
Kael raised a hand weakly, signaling for Selene to remain calm. "Everyone, please. Just… relax. I'll explain," he said out of breath.
The golden glow in his eyes dimmed slightly, though it remained bright enough to give him a terrifying look.
Selene's gaze flicked between the two men, her confusion deepening. "Kael, what's happening? Why is he calling you Kaeledor?" she demanded. "And who is he?"
Kael swallowed hard, leaning against the wall for support as he slowly straightened himself. "I owe you an explanation, Selene. You deserve to know what's going on."
He turned his gaze toward Lykos, who nodded wearily, granting Kael permission to speak. L
"This man, Lykos," Kael began, "was once a god—one of the highest in the pantheon. He was a god of nature, animals, the earth itself. But… his story is one of injustice, Selene."
Kael took a deep breath before continuing. "Lykos was accused of something…. He was accused of plotting the overthrow Altharion, the King of the Gods. But it was all a lie."
Selene blinked, trying to piece the pieces together, but she still didn't understand. "Accused of plotting against Altharion?" she repeated. "Why would he do that?"
Kael shook his head. "He didn't. But the truth was twisted. Altharion could not tolerate any challenge to his power. Lykos wanted nothing more than to bring balance to the heavens, to stop Altharion's reign of control. He was accused of trying to overthrow him, but that accusation was completely false."
"Then… why was he imprisoned?" Selene asked, her mind spinning.
"The accusations didn't stop there," Kael continued. "Lykos was also accused of killing Aelindra, the goddess of the moon and light. But the truth is… no one ever found her body. She was said to have been killed in cold blood by Lykos when she discovered his intentions against Altharion." Kael's voice was tight with frustration. "But there's no evidence, Selene. Her body was never found. The allegations were absurd, but still, Lykos was imprisoned."
Selene's eyes widened in disbelief. "She was killed… but her body was never found?"
"Exactly," Kael said, his voice bitter. "The accusation was a lie, but it was enough to seal Lykos's fate. Altharion wanted him silenced, wanted him gone so he manipulated everything to make sure Lykos would never return."
Lykos's golden eyes flickered with pain as he lowered his gaze, his posture weary. "I tried," he said quietly. "I did everything I could to prove my innocence. I begged, I pleaded, I fought for my voice to be heard. But all my efforts were in vain. No one listened. No one cared."
His fist clenched at his side as the memory of those futile attempts still burned within him. "I tried to speak the truth. I tried to show them that Aelindra's death was a lie, that I was not the one who killed her. But the other gods, they were too blinded by their own fear, by Altharion's influence. They chose to believe the story that suited them, rather than seek the truth." Lykos said.
Kael stepped forward, his expression somber but firm. "Lykos wasn't just wronged by the gods, Selene. He was betrayed by those he once trusted… me included." He paused, his eyes flicking to Lykos before meeting Selene's. "But there's something more you must know."
Selene blinked, still reeling from the revelation, her mind struggling to keep up with the information. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Kael took a deep breath, gathering his words. "There is a prophecy, Selene. A prophecy that says the woman who frees Lykos from his prison, the one who breaks the chains that bind him… she will be his betrothed bride."
Selene's heart skipped a beat. "What?" she whispered. "Me?"
Kael nodded gravely. "Yes. You. It's been foretold for centuries. The woman who frees Lykos from his curse will become his bride, his equal. The bond that connects you two is not just fate, it's woven into the fabric of prophecy itself."
Lykos's gaze shifted to Selene, his golden eyes intense, as though he could see straight into her soul. "You have set me free, and now… you are my betrothed."
"Why me?" she asked, almost to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't understand. I didn't do anything. I just… I just found you, and now you're saying I'm meant to be… married to him?"
Kael stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder gently. "It's not just about the prophecy, Selene. You have the power to change this world. You've already proven that by freeing Lykos. The bond between you two is not just fate, it's also something that has been written in the stars for centuries. The gods couldn't foresee it. And neither can you."
Selene's mind was a whirlwind of emotions, uncertainty, fear, and even a strange sense of destiny that she couldn't escape.
"I don't want this," Selene said sharply, surprising herself with her courage. "I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't free you because of some prophecy. Hell I wasn't even aware of any prophecy."
Lykos's expression shifted. "I never wanted to put this on you, Selene. I didn't ask for this either. But the prophecy… it's not something either of us can control."
Kael stood silently, watching the exchange with a quiet understanding. He could see the conflict in Selene's eyes, the way she was torn between what her heart told her and what the prophecy demanded.
Selene's fists clenched at her sides, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. "I didn't free you because of some prophecy," she repeated. "I did it because you didn't deserve to die in those ruins. I did it because you're a person, not just some piece in some divine plan."
Lykos took a step forward, but she didn't move to meet him. "I understand," he said quietly, "And I'll never forget what you've done for me. But we need to face destiny."
Selene shook her head, she had no idea what the right thing to do was, but she knew one thing for certain… she couldn't be part of some grand design. "I didn't ask for any of this," she said.
Kael stepped forward then, his hand gently resting on her shoulder. "No one's asking you to accept it right away, Selene. But we're here for you." His eyes flicked to Lykos. "We will be, no matter what you decide."
Without another word, she moved toward the door, she needed space, time to think and clear her mind.
"I'm going home," she said, more as a whisper, before turning away and stepping out into the night.
Lykos and Kael didn't try to stop her.
Selene walked swiftly, her mind in chaos as the cool night air bit at her skin. But for now, all she wanted was to return to the familiarity of her home, where she could try to make sense of everything.